Supporting bracket for outlet boxes



July 23, 1940. L. .1. BESSETTE SUPPORTING BRACKET FOR OUTLET BOXES Filed June 30, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l A iiorneys July 23, 194.. 1.. J. BESSETTE SUPPORTING BRACKET FOR OUTL ET BOXES Filed June 30, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A tiorneys Patented July 23, 1940 SUPPORTING BRACKET FOR OUTLET XES Louis J. Bessette, Burlington, Vt.

Application June 30, 1938, Serial No. 216,805

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to supporting brackets for outlet boxes of a type generally employed in connection with the electrical installation for houses, buildings and the like, and has for its primary object to provide a rigid support for the outlet box positioned at the rear of an opening in the wall, ceiling or paneling and providing a collar inserted in the opening and having a flanged plate adapted to cover the ragged edges of the opening to provide a neat finish about said opening.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an automatic adjustable connection between the internally positioned supporting 1'5" bracket and the collar to accommodate various thickness in the wall or paneling to which the device is attached and for tightly clamping the bracket and the flange of the collar to the wall, or ceiling structure.

Another object is to provide a supporting bracket of this character of simple and practical construction, which is strong and durable, easily installed in the desired position, relatively inexpensive to manufacture. and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view, and

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views taken substantially on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 respectively of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a backing plate having a central opening 6 and wing portions I projecting at the diametrically opposite sides of the opening, the edge portions of the wings being bent angu- 45 larly to provide flanges 8 which extend continuously along opposite side edges of the plate 5 and of gradually reduced width toward the outer ends of the wings I as will be apparent from an inspection of Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The opening 6 is bridged by a plate 9 having its ends resting upon the edges of the flanges 8 at the intermediate portion thereof and suitable secured thereto as by means of inturned shoulders Ill having lugs II positioned in notches I2 formed in the plate 9 and bent over the outer surface of said plate, as will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 2 of the drawings.

Screw holes I 3 are formed in the plate 8 for receiving screws I4 carried by the base portion of a conventional type of outlet box I5 whereby to suitably anchor the box to the plate 9. The box I5 is designed for mounting in an opening It in a wall or ceiling panel H, in a manner well-known in the art, and with the supporting plate 5 positioned rearwardly of the panel and a collar 48 is also provided and inserted through the opening l6 and within which collar the outlet box I5 is positioned.

The outer edge of the collar is formed with a flange I9 adapted to bear against the outer surface of the panel [1 and thus cover the edges of the opening I6. The flange I9 may be formed integrally with the collar H3 or may be constructed as a separate element in the form of a ring 20 held in position against the panel I! by the flange I9.

,, The inner edge of the collar I8 is provided with a plurality of inturned lugs 2| against which the base portion of the outlet box [5 is adapted to abut to limit inward movement of the box. These lugs are preferably pressed. and formed as shown to add greater strength thereto when the sides of the collar are cut away to permit insertion of the electric wire (not shown) into the box I5 through the knock-outs l5. The inner surfaces of the flanges are formed with prongs 22 adapted for engagement with teeth 23 formed on the diametrically opposite sides of the external surface of the collar I8 whereby to secure the plate 5 and flange of the collar IS in automatic adjustable clamping position at opposite sides of the panel II as will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 4 of the drawings.

In installing the device in position with respect to the panel I! the plate 5 forming the inner portion of the supporting bracket is inserted through the opening I6 of the panel, said opening being cut of sufficient size to accommodate the plate, after which the plate is turned crosswise of the opening with the wing portion I bearing flatly against the inner surface of the panel ll. The collar I8 is then inserted in position and held by the interengagement of the box 22 with the teeth 23 into an approximate position, after which the outlet box I5 is positioned in the collar and secured to the plate 9 by the screws I4. The tightening of the screws I4 will cause the inward movement of the collar until the flange I 9, or ring member 20 bears tightly against the outer surface of the panel I'I.

It is believed the details of construction and manner of operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing Without further detailed explanation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1 1. A supporting bracket for outlet boxes comprising a plate positioned behind a wall or ceiling structure, said plate and wall structure having registrable openings, a pair of spaced apart outstanding flanges on the plate at diametrically opposite sides of the opening therein, a collar inserted through said openings and Within which the outlet box is adapted to be positioned, a flange carried by the collar adapted to abut the outer surface of the wall structure, a plate bridging the opening therein and spaced therefrom, notches in the edges of said last named plate, lugs on the flanges engaged in said notchesto secure the plate against movement on the flanges, means for securing the outlet box to said last named plate and means carried on adjacent faces of the collar and the first named plate for I adjustably securing the same together.

2. A supporting bracket for outlet boxes comprising a plate adapted for positioning at the rear of a supporting structure, said plate and supporting structure having registering openings, outstanding flanges on the opposite side edges of the plate, an outlet box attaching plate carried by the flanges and bridging the opening rearwardly thereof, fastening lugs carried by the flanges engageable with said last named plate, a collar inserted in said openings, means at the outer end of the collar engageable with the supporting structure to limit inward movement of the collar, said collar being adapted to accommodate the outlet box, means at the inner end of the collar limiting inward movement of the box, means for connecting the box to the box attaching plate and interengaging means be-' tween the flanges of the first named plate and the collar for automatically securing said plate and collar in clamping engagement with opposite sides of the supporting structure.

3. A supporting bracket for outlet boxes comprising a plate adapted for positioning at the rear of a supporting structure, said plate and supporting structure having registering openings, outstanding flanges on the opposite side edges of the plate, an outlet box attaching plate carried by the flanges and bridging the opening rearwardly thereof, fastening lugs carried by the flanges engageable with said last named plate, a collar inserted in said openings, means at the outer end of the collar engageable with the supporting structure to limit inward movement of the collar, said collar being adapted to accommodate the outlet box, means at the inner end of the collar limiting inward movement of the box, means for connecting the box to the box attaching plate, prongs carried by the flanges of the first named plate and external teeth on the collar engageable by said prongs for automatically securing said plate and collar in clamping engagement with opposite sides of the supporting structure.

4. A supporting bracket for outlet boxes comprising a plate embodying a pair of wing members projecting from opposite sides of an opening formed in the plate and adapted for bearing flatwise against the rear of a supporting structure, said supporting structure having an opening registering with the opening of said plate, outstanding flanges formed on the edges of said wings, a cross-plate bridging the opening of the plate rearwardly thereof, fastening lugs vcarriedby the flanges engageable with said last named plate, a collar inserted in said opening, a flange on the outer edge of the collar adapted for abutting the outer surface of the supporting structure to limit inward movement of the collar, said collar being adapted to accommodate the outlet box, means for securing the box to the cross-plate, means carried by the collar limiting inward movement of the box and interengaging means between the flanges of the first named plate and the collar for automatically securing said plate and collar in clamping engagement With opposite sides of the supporting structure.

LOUIS J. BESSETTE. 

